The present invention pertains to a feeder control for vibratory material handling equipment, and more particularly, to a variable-frequency dual-motion control using a single phase AC power source.
Certain types of vibratory material handling equipment, such as part feeders, utilize electromagnets as the exciting force with an electromagnet coil energized during a portion of the feed time. A variety of stroke lengths and a variety of drive frequencies are used to provide optimum material feed rates, depending upon the material being fed by the equipment. Low drive frequencies may reduce strain on the mechanical portion of the equipment, reduce noise levels and improve efficiency of feeding of many materials. Other materials may require higher drive frequencies.
A variable-frequency, dual-motion type of bowl feeder consists of one drive to provide a vertical motion and another drive to provide a horizontal motion. A spring system allows the bowl feeder to move independently in both the vertical mode and in the horizontal mode. By exciting the vertical drive system and the horizontal drive system in one particular phase relationship material will be conveyed in one direction, and by reversing this phase relationship material may be conveyed in the opposite direction. Thus, any feed angle desired may be obtained by varying the phase relationship between the drive to the vertical and horizontal coils.